Method of making pressure sensitive labels



July M, 1951 E. D. GRAVES ET AL METHOD OF MAKING PRESSURE SENSITIVE LABELS Filed SQptnQO, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

' Dle Plofen 2o Rol'ler Rol'ler Continuous Belt Roll of Paper Strip Matrix FIG.

l5cL 4826 48b 49a 50 INVENTORS 5 ELIOT 0. GRAVES AND MURRAY M DOUGAL BYM Z ATTORNEYS July 17, 195] E. D. GRAVES ET AL METHOD OF MAKING PRESSURE SENSITIVE LABELS Filed Sept. 20, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 7.

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ATTORNEYS Patented July 17, 1951 METHOD OF MAKING PRESSURE SENSITIVE LABELS Eliot D. Graves, Pasadena, and Murray McDougal,

Glendale, Calif., assignors to Contact Products, Inc.,'Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application September 20, 1946, Serial No. 698,376 6 Claims. (01." 154-125 This invention has to do with the art of making pressure sensitive labels of the type wherein a label, coated with a pressure sensitive or permanently tacky adhesive, is temporarily mounted upon a backing sheet from which it may be removed for application to an article to be labeled, having more particularly to do with novel method and apparatus for making such labels.

Conventionally, such labels are made by the method of first adhering the 'adhesively coated label-forming sheet to a glassine backing sheet and then dieing out of the label-forming sheet the outlines of the labels without cutting into the backing sheet, and then separating from the backing sheet the waste or matrix portion of the label-forming sheet=-that is, those portions of the label-forming sheet surrounding the cut defining the label outline. Since the glassine backing sheet is very thin in section, it is very necessary to maintain extremely meticulous adjustment of the parts of the label-making machine lest the backing sheet be scored or cut to such an extent as to become so weakened that it will break and necessitate a shut-down of the machinery until the strips may be re-threaded through the machine. Such weakening of the backing sheet also interferes with the dispensing of such labels.

Another disadvantage of prior art label-making methods and apparatus is due to the fact that they must utilize a pre-combined composite strip consisting of the label-forming sheet adhered to a backing sheet. Such composite sheets are usually stock items which have been stored and the adhesive frequently becomes relatively hardened, rendering it difficult, without frequent breakage, to strip from the backing sheet the matrix or waste portion of the label-forming strip after the labels have been died therefrom.

It is an object of our invention to provide a method of and apparatus for making such labels wherein the dieing or cutting of the labels from the label-forming sheet is performed against a platen and before the label is mounted upon the backing sheet. This eliminates any possibility of cutting or scoring the backing sheet.

Another and more particular object is to provide a system of label making wherein the label is partially died or cut from the label-forming strip and, after a portion of the cut label has been adhered to the backing sheet, the final die out "completely severing the label from the labelforming sheet is made.

Another object is the provision of means for continuously forming the labels from an elongated forming strip and mounting them upon an elongated strip of backing material which may be formed into a roll for convenient use.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for making such labels whereby the label-forming strip is not coated with adhesive until immediately prior to the cutting of the label shape from the strip and where-'- in the matrix is stripped from the backing sheet immediately after it is adhered thereto. This provides the advantage that it is much easier to strip the freshly coated matrix or waste from the backing sheet.

An additional object is to provide, in such apparatus, a die construction which is highly economical.

Our invention is furthermore characterized by certain novel and advantageous features of apparatus for forming such labels, such, for instance, as the novel form of die which we have devised; the improved means of stripping the cut label portion from the die which enables the cutting of the label-forming strip when the adhesively coated side of the strip is facing the cutting die; our novel means for combining the cut label-forming strip with the backing strip, as well as other features, which will appear as the following description of a presently preferred embodiment of our invention progresses. In this connection, however, we wish to point out that while the specific procedures and arrangements which we are about to describe constitute one of the preferred embodiments, in its broader aspects as defined by the accompanying claims we contemplate that our invention may be carried out in other and modified specific physical forms of apparatus which will be apparent to those skilled in this art from a reading of the ensuing description.

For purposes of the following explanation of the invention we shall refer to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic showing of our apparatus and one means of carrying out our method;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of our method;.- i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. '2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the die and laminating elements;

Fig. '5 is a plan view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. -6 is a plan view of the label-stripping element;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 99 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on line Ill-I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a view taken in plan illustrating a series of labels being formed from a label-forming strip and mounted on a backing sheet;

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of finished labels mounted on a backing sheet;

Fig. 13 is a plan view similar to Fig. but showing a modified form of die and cutting sequence;

Fig. 14 is a plan view similar to Fig. 5 but showing another modified form;

Fig. 15 is a plan showing the labels illustrated in Fig. 14 mounted on a backing sheet; and Fig. 16 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing a detail of cutter edge.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, we show at 5 a body having a spindle 6 upon which are pivotally mounted the guide arms 'I of an oscillating head ID. The head also includes upright arms ll each having a circular opening l4 within which a power driven eccentric l5 rotates to cause oscillation of the head. Arms II are pivotally connected to guide arms I by a spindle 8. The die carrier I1 is, fixed to the oscillating head and has demountably secured thereto a die block l8. Disposed transversely between and supported from the sides of the body there is a platen 28 having a hardened upper surfaces 20a which may be a separate plate secured to the platen in any suitable manner.

Mounted on and disposed transversely of the body we also provide a laminating element generally denoted and which is comprised of a pair of parallel bars 23, 21 each of which has a felt wrapping 28. As shown in Fig. 10 we prefer to mount one of the bars, preferably the upper bar 21, so that it may be resiliently urged towards the other bar by means of springs 28.

To accomplish this, we fixed the lower bar 26 to the sides of the body, as by screws 26a and provide four screws 2% threaded into bar 26 and extending through holes in the upper bar 21, the springs 28 being interposed between the upper bar and the heads of screws 26b to urge the upper bar downwardly.

Journaled in the sides of the body we provide a pair of shafts 30, 3| upon which are fixed, respectively, rollers 32, 33. The peripheries of these rollers substantially contact each other so as to receive therebetween the label-forming strip, tape or web and roller 33 has a soft rubber periphery. The uncoated tape is taken from a supply roller S upon which it has been rolled and then passes, around the coating roller 34, through a coating box, where the adhesive coating 35a is applied (Fig. 1).

Also journaled in the sides of the body there are three shafts 40, 4|, 42 on which are fixed the respective rollers 43, 44, 45, the shafts being operatively connected by gear train 46 (see Fig. 9). One of the shafts, preferably shaft 42, is power driven from the shaft l5a which carries the eccentric i5 so that the rollers are driven in unison with operation of the oscillating head. The operative connection between the shaft [5a and roller 45 is described as follows:

-As best shown in Fig. 8, shaft I5a also carries an eccentric 41 which rotates in an opening 48a in an arm 48 pivoted at its outer end by pin 4% to an arm 49 rotatably mounted at its other end on shaft 42. Arm 49 pivotally carries a pawl 49a to engage the teeth of a ratchet 50 fixed on shaft 42. A resilient stop pawl 5| is secured at its outer end to the body and rides over the ratchet teeth. Thus on each rotation of shaft I50. the rollers 4345 are moved a step. We operatively connect roller 33 with shaft 42 as by a chain belt 52 which passes over toothed wheel 53 on shaft 42 and over a toothed wheel 530. on shaft 3| (Figs. 2 and 3).

The peripheries of rollers 4345 normally substantially frictionally engage each other so as to frictionally receive therebetween, in addition to the label-forming and backing strips, an endless carrier belt or conveyor tape 52 which belt is moved by the rollers 4345 and passes through the laminating member 25, sliding over the felt cover 28 of the bottom bar 26. The peripheral surface of rollers 44 is of soft rubber or like resilient material.

An arm 55 carries guide members 56 which guide, from a supply roll, not shown, an elongated strip of backing tape 58, which tape conventionally is in the form of a thin cellulosic sheet known as glassine. This tape 58 likewise is drawn through the laminating element by the rollers 4345, slidably passing over the felt covering 28 of the upper bar 21, and thence between rollers 4345 by which it is pulled.

Rollers 4345 are driven intermittently, as will be hereinafter described-that is, they rotate a, fraction of a rotation for each oscillation of the oscillating head l0, being rotated far enough in each operation to move the labelforming strip 35 from the position denoted X1 to the position denoted X2 in Fig. 11.

By particular reference to Figs. 4 and 5 it will be seen that the die block I8 carries three separate cutting elements, here denoted 60a, 60b, 600, there being two like elements 600. Cutting elements 60a, 60b define the ends and a portion of the sides of the label adjacent the ends, said elements being mounted in opposed relationshipthat is, with their open ends facing each otherand being spaced apart to leave a gap 62 therebetween. In other words, assuming the label being cut to be of rectangular plan, as the label-forming strip 35 is drawn over the platen, upon each oscillation of the head H] a label will be cut from the label-forming strip except for the side edge portions defined by the gap62. Durin the next intermittent movement. of the rollers 4345 the label-forming strip will be advanced from the position X1 to the position X2 (Fig. 11) until that portion of the label to be cut by cutting element 600 is adjacent or about to enter the laminating element and the leading portion of the last previous cut by die elements 60b, denoted by dot-dash line L' in Fig. 11, will be positioned between the laminating bars. of the label denoted by full lines L in Fig. 11 beneath the cutting element 600. Thus upon the next oscillation of the head [0 the cutting elements 600 will finally sever the label from the label-forming sheet and, simultaneously therewith, the cutting elements 60a, 601) will partially out another label in the manner before described.

From the foregoing it will be observed that upon each oscillation of the head It] and each intermittent movement of the rollers 4345 a new label is partially cut by cutting elements 60a, 60b and the last preceding label cut by ele- This will position the uncut portion 5. ments 60a, 60b is finally severed fromthe label-- forming strip by cutting elements 600. While the forward portion of the label being formed is adhered to the backing sheet 58 in the laminating element' before the final cut. is made, said label does not. become completely adhered to the backing strip until after the final cut is made by cutting elements 600, being subsequently" moved into the laminating element to" be completely adhered to the backing sheet.

As will be apparent from the foregoing description, the partially severed labeled portion is supported, reinforced and moved by means of the continuous belt 52. i

Inasmuch as the adhesive coating 35a on the label-forming strip is on the.- top faceof the strip, or towards the die block, in order to insure uniform stripping of the cut label portion from the die we provide o. stripper plate 10. This plate is shaped to permit the cutting elements 60a, 60b to pass thereover, the plate presenting a roughened bottom surface 10a (Fig. '7), such as of sandpaper, to prevent the adhesive from adhering thereto. The stripper plate is supported from the sides of the bod by means of the arms H secured to the body as by screws 12.

Upon leaving the rollers 43-45, the matrix 351), which consists of that portion of the labelforming strip 35 from which the labels L have been severed, is separated from the backing strip 58 by means of being rolled onto a roller I driven by any suitable means, not shown, in synchronism with rollers 4345. Simultaneously the backing strip 58 carrying the cut labels L is wound onto a roller TI, also driven in synchronism with rollers 4345 by any suitable means, not shown.

While we have described the fabrication of only a single linear row of labels on the backing sheet, it will be obvious. of course, that as many parallel rows of labels may be cut and mounted on the backing sheet as may be desired, by havin the label-formin strip 35 and the backing strip 58 relatively wider and by providing an additional set of die cutting elements Gila-60c for each row. It will be obvious also that our method and apparatus are not limited to the production of square or rectangular labels but may be designed and operated to produce labels of other shapes. For instance, in Fig. 14 we show'a plan view of a set of die elements 80a, 80b, Bile for forming round labels L as shown in Fig. 15.

In Fig. 13 we show a modified form of die using only one die element 85 corresponding to previously described die elements 60a, 69b and one die element 86 corresponding to die elements 600. Here die element 85 cuts the label from the labelforming strip except along one side, while element 8B finally severs the label by cutting along said side.

An added advantage of our apparatus and method is best illustrated in Fig. 16. As is well known in the art of making pressure-sensitive labels, the adhesive tends to flow from under the edges of a freshly cut label. This is particularly true where the labels are being cut from pro-laminated assemblies consisting of a label sheet adhered to a backing sheet. We avoid this since, in our apparatus and method, when the label is out the adhesive side of the coated label forming sheet is towards the beveled edge diethe bevel being on the inner surface of the die element. Thus the beveled surface of the die 6. element tends to force the adhesive away from the edge of the label.

We claim:

1. The method of die-cutting a label from a label forming strip carrying on its surface toward the cutting element of the die an exposed coating of permanently tacky adhesive and mounting it upon a backing sheet, comprising passing the cutting element of the die through the strip from its coated surface while forcing the adhesive coating at the edges of the label inwardly toward the center of the label and then adhering the label to the backing sheet before the adhesive coating can bleed over the edges of the label.

'2'. The method of manufacturing pressuresensitive labels from a web of label-forming material coated on one side with non-drying adhesive and successively mounting them longitudinally along an elongated strip of label-backing material, comprising the successive steps of severing from the web less than an entire label while said portion being severed is out of adhering contact with said strip, advancing the leading part of said portion into adhering engagement with said strip, finally severing said label from the web, and then advancing the remainder of said label into adhering engagement with said strip.

3. The method of manufacturing pressuresensitive labels from a web of label-forming material coated on one side with non-drying adhesive and successively mounting them longitudinally along an elongated strip of label-backing material, comprising the successive steps of severing from the web less than an entire label While said portion being severed is at rest and out of adhering contact With said strip, advancing the leading part of said portion into adhering engagement with said strip, finally severing said label from said web while the portion being finally severed is at rest and out of adhering contact with said strip, and then advancing the remainder of said label into adhering engagement with said strip.

4. The method of manufacturing pressure-sensitive labels from a web of label-forming material coated on one side with non-drying adhesive and successively mounting them longitudinally along an elongated strip of label-backing material, comprising the successive steps of severing from the web spaced leading and trailing portions of a label while said portions are at rest and out of adhering contact with said strip, advancing said severed leading portion into adhering engagement with said strip, finally severing said label from the web while the web is at rest after said last-named advance, and then advancing the remainder of said label into adhering engagement with said strip.

5. The method of manufacturing pressuresensitive labels from an intermittently moving web of label-forming material coated on one side with non-drying adhesive and successively mounting them longitudinally along an intermittently moving elongated strip of label-backing material, comprising simultaneously cutting in said web while it is at rest between movements and out of adhering contact with said strip a part only of one label and a part only of the next succeeding labels, and successively moving the respective cut portions of said labels into adhering engagement with said strip.

6. The method of manufacturing pressuresensitive labels from a Web of label-forming material coated on one side with non-drying adhesive and successively mounting them longitudinally along an elongated strip of label-backing material, comprising the successive steps of severing from the web spaced leading and trailing portions of a label while said portions are at rest and out of adhering contact with said strip, advancing said severed leading portion into adhering engagement with said strip, severing from the web the remaining portion of said label and simultaneously severing from the Web spaced leading and trailing portions of the next successive label while the Web is at rest and out of contact with said strip, and then advancing the remainder of the first-named label into adhering contact with said strip While advancing the unsevered portion of the last-named label into position to be severed.

ELIOT D. GRAVES. MURRAY McDOUGAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

